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Choosing your perfect trip type.We offer just about every type of adventure imaginable. Explore with other like minded travellers on our organised group trips, alternatively try a private departure or talk to our tailormade team if you want more flexibility.

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South India Adventure Tour

Take a cultural journey with us across this colourful landscape, from intricately carved temple complexes to lush jungle backwaters and historic harbour ports. By train, bus and riverboat we climb to the heights of the Western Ghats and drop down to the Bay of Bengal in the Indian Ocean. This fast-paced adventure includes a little bit of everything southern India has to offer.

Tour Highlights

Mysore - Visit the Maharajah's Palace, one of the largest palaces in India

Itinerary

1

Join tour at Bangalore Airport, drive to Mysore

Our tour begins today at Bangalore Airport. After meeting in the arrivals hall we leave the airport and drive to Mysore.

Overnight: Premium HotelSwimming Pool AvailableSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
None

2

Discover Mysore Palace

Mysore offers the interested traveller a great deal including the huge Maharajah's Palace. Originally built in the 14th century, the palace has undergone two subsequent re-buildings and is today an opulent mélange of Hindu and British architecture. This morning we visit the Maharajah’s Palace and also see the enormous monolithic sculpture of the sacred bull Nandi standing halfway up the Chamundi Hill. The rest of the day is left free to explore at your own pace. You may wish to visit the Srirangapatnam Palace outside the city or see the historic art gallery in Jaganmohan Palace. In spring, the scent of jasmine fills the air, making Mysore a city of true oriental splendour.

Overnight: Premium HotelSwimming Pool AvailableSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

3

Take a game drive in Bandipur National Park

Leaving the city today we drive to nearby Bandipur National Park. The park is home to a variety of animals such as the chital (spotted deer), monkeys, mongoose, panther and the gaur - the Indian bison. The park's elephant population is one of the largest in the country and we may see some of them working in the forest. We take a game drive this afternoon before spending the night at a lodge on the outskirts of the park.

Overnight: Standard HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

4

Morning game drive before driving to Ooty

An early start today as we take a second game drive in to Bandipur. After returning to our lodge for breakfast and a freshen up we drive to Udhagamandalam, better known as Ooty. The most famous of all South India's hill stations, Ooty (2270m) was first adopted by the British then by wealthy Maharajas, earning itself a reputation as Snooty Ooty.

Overnight: Standard HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

5

Take a walking tour in the famous hill station

We take a walking tour of the town this morning and the afternoon is left free to visit the Botanical Gardens, St Stephen's Church or Ooty Lake. You may like to play golf at the Ooty Golf Club or take a walk up to Dodabetta Peak for some stunning views, or perhaps visit a local tea factory. There may also be the option to take a guided walk with a visit to a tribal village with a local guide.

Overnight: Standard HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

6

Travel on the Toy Train. Drive to Kochi

After breakfast we take a ride on the famous Toy Train to Coonoor. Whilst traditionally the Toy Train was pulled by steam engines these days they are mostly pulled by diesel engines. It is not unknown for the Toy Train to be out of service due to maintenance or due to poor track conditions, if this is the case we will transfer to Coonoor by bus. We then transfer to the coastal city of Kochi.

Overnight: Premium HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

7

Explore Fort Kochi and the Jewish Quarter

Kochi has been a gathering place of merchants since antiquity and is full of bustling traders. Fort Kochi is the oldest European settlement in India (1500), and has a mixture of English, Dutch and Portuguese influences. The Mattancherry Palace was built by the Portuguese in the 16th century, but extensive renovations by the Dutch some hundred years later earned it the name the Dutch Palace. It has some of the best murals in India, depicting scenes from the Ramayana and other great legends. We will take a tour by river-craft to Fort Kochi, passing Bolgatty Island and seeing the cantilevered Chinese Fishing nets. We also visit St Francis Church before a free afternoon for personal exploration.

Overnight: Premium HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

8

Spend the night on a houseboat in the backwaters

Today we visit the Jewish synagogue in Kochi before driving to the most beautiful stretch of inland waterways in Kerala - over 80km of Malabar backwaters winding under the lush leaves of coconut palms. We board our houseboat for an exotic journey, chugging in unhurried style on waterways used by villagers commuting from village to village. The people are a colourful mix of high born Nayas, traditionally inheriting property through the mother; Brahmins, once priests but now mainly professional workers; Dravidians, speaking their own language and Christians, Jews, Muslims and Chinese - an attractive, friendly melée of different types, often looking somewhat incongruous with their black umbrellas to ward off the tropical sun. Keep an eye open for the rich variety of birdlife along the waters edge. We dock in the middle of the waterways and relax as we watch the sun go down.

Overnight: Simple BoatSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

9

Travel to Thekkady

After spending the morning drifting through the backwaters we disembark and drive to Thekkady. En route if we have time we may stop at one of the nearby colourful markets.

Overnight: Premium HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

10

Visit a spice garden en route to Madurai

After breakfast we take a visit to a nearby spice plantation. After learning a little about how the spices are grown and processed we drive to Madurai. The drive will take us nearly six hours but we will make plenty of stops along the way.

Overnight: Standard HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

11

Discover the ornate Meenakshi Temple

Today we have a morning tour of Madurai including a visit to the 16th century Meenakshi Temple with its nine imposing gopurams (monumental gates). Within the temple complex we’ll explore the Thousand Pillared Hall, the Golden Lotus Tank and the Nandi Pavilion. Rising above the temple, above the festive pandemonium of swirling crowds of pilgrims that never seem to cease, are 12 stupendous towers. A short distance away is the Tirumalai Nayaka Palace, a blend of Hindu and Saracen architectural styles. Recent restorations include repainting the carvings and stone-work in their original colours - a startling effect. This afternoon you are free to explore this bustling temple town at leisure, taking in a trip to the Gandhi Museum, soaking up the vibrant colours and floral aromas. browsing through silver, craft and carpet shops or even ordering tailor-made outfits from one of the many bazaars.

Overnight: Standard HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

12

Take a train to Chennai then drive to Mamallapuram

We travel to Chennai by train today and from here we will drive onto Mamallapuram on the shores of the Bay of Bengal. This was the chief harbour for the Pallavas Kingdom some 1200 years ago and many examples of masterful carvings from those days still exist in the so-called pagodas (actually 'rathas'). Mamallapuram offers us the ideal opportunity to relax after our journey. The area is well known for its many beautiful temples and miles of beaches, perfect for an evening stroll or beachcombing

Overnight: Standard HotelSwimming Pool AvailableSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

13

Explore Mamallapuram's shore temples

Today we will take a tour with a local guide. We will see the World Heritage listed Shore Temple, built in 7th century and Ajuna's Penance, the world's largest bas relief (some 27m long by 9m high) and one of the most impressive friezes in India. Although both are quite weather-beaten, a remarkable amount of detailed carving still remains. We will also see the Mandapa Cave temples with interesting reliefs and the Five Rathas, monolithic temples sculptured out of the rock in the mid-7th century.

Overnight: Standard HotelSwimming Pool AvailableSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

14

Tour ends at Chennai Airport

Trip notes

Each departure date has its own dedicated trip note, detailing all you need to know about that trip. Whether you've already booked, or weighing up your options, please choose carefully the relevant itinerary for you.

We have the following different versions of the South Indian Images trip available at present.